> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dishink.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Salary Advances

> Approve, reject, and auto-deduct staff advance requests with per-staff limits.

Salary advances let staff draw against future pay for emergencies. DishInk manages the request, approval, and auto-deduction from the next payroll record so nothing is missed.

## Statuses

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pending" icon="clock">
    Submitted by staff, awaiting admin decision.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Approved" icon="check">
    Paid out to the staff member. Scheduled for deduction on the next payroll.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rejected" icon="xmark">
    Declined by admin. Rejection reason visible to staff.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deducted" icon="money-bill-transfer">
    Recovered from a payroll record. The advance is fully settled.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Default limits

| Limit                     | Default    |
| ------------------------- | ---------- |
| Per-request maximum       | **K1,000** |
| Monthly maximum per staff | **K2,000** |

Per-request cannot exceed the monthly cap. Both limits are configurable per staff on the Limits sub-tab.

<Frame caption="Salary Advances panel with Pending, Staff Overview, and Limits tabs.">
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/dishink/images/staff/salary-advances.png" alt="Salary advances panel" />
</Frame>

## Approving a request

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Advances → Pending">
    **Staff → Payroll → Advances → Pending**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review">
    Each row shows staff, amount, current month usage, remaining limit, and the staff-supplied reason.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve or Reject">
    Approving pays out immediately (recorded in Cash Out) and schedules deduction. Rejecting requires a short reason.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Approved advances are paid outside DishInk (bank transfer, cash from the till, mobile money). Record the payment method in the confirmation dialog for the audit trail.
</Note>

## Staff Overview

The **Staff Overview** sub-tab lists every staff member with:

* Advances taken this month (ZMW)
* Remaining monthly limit
* Outstanding (approved but not yet deducted)
* Deduction history

Useful for a manager to see who is repeatedly requesting advances — sometimes a signal to review the wage structure.

## Setting limits per staff

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Limits tab">
    **Staff → Payroll → Advances → Limits**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a staff member">
    The current per-request and monthly limits are shown.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Adjust">
    Increase for reliable senior staff, decrease for probationary staff. Setting monthly to zero disables advances for that staff.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    New limits apply to future requests.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Auto-deduction on payroll

When you generate payroll:

1. Every Approved advance for the staff member in the period is picked up.
2. Total is subtracted from net pay (after deductions).
3. Each recovered advance moves from **Approved** to **Deducted**.
4. The pay slip lists each advance line separately.

If net pay would go negative and **Allow negative net pay** is off, DishInk defers the residual advance to the next period.

## Tips and best practices

* Keep the default K1,000 per request and K2,000 per month for most staff. Loosen only for trusted long-tenure staff.
* Always record the payout method — it becomes part of the shift Cash Out reconciliation.
* Coach managers to reject with a clear reason so staff understand.
* Use Staff Overview weekly to spot patterns before they become financial risks.

## Common mistakes

* **Approving beyond the monthly cap.** DishInk blocks this. Increase the limit for that staff or ask them to wait until next month.
* **Not recording the payout.** The advance appears in payroll but the cash is unaccounted for. Always log the payment method.
* **Editing a Deducted advance.** Impossible — it is closed. Create a new advance if a further payout is needed.

## Related pages

* [Payroll Overview](/staff/payroll/overview)
* [Generating Payroll](/staff/payroll/generating)
* [Pay Slips & Breakdown](/staff/payroll/pay-slips)
* [Cash Out](/staff/cash-out)
* [Staff Earnings Portal](/staff/payroll/staff-earnings)